SepticJournal is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn a commission — at no extra cost to you. This page explains how those commissions work, what they mean for our editorial coverage, and how we keep the two separate.
How We Earn Money
SepticJournal participates in several affiliate programs, including but not limited to:
- Amazon Services LLC Associates Program — an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
- ClickBank — an online marketplace for digital and physical products, where merchants offer commissions on referred sales.
- Independent affiliate agreements with direct-to-consumer brands, home services lead-generation platforms, and specialty retailers relevant to septic system owners.
When you click a product link on our site and complete a purchase, the retailer may pay SepticJournal a small commission. You pay the same price you would if you'd navigated to the retailer directly.
What This Means for Our Reviews
Affiliate revenue funds our research, writing, and site operations. It's why we can spend eighty or a hundred hours investigating a product category before publishing a guide. But it does not influence what we recommend.
Specifically:
- Commission rate is never a ranking factor. Our methodology weights efficacy evidence, verified customer outcomes, value, transparency, and convenience. It does not weight what pays us the most.
- Products without affiliate programs are included in reviews when they belong there. You'll frequently see us recommend items we can't earn on.
- Companies cannot pay to be reviewed, featured, or ranked higher. This isn't negotiable and we've turned down every offer of the sort we've received.
- We publish critical coverage of products in our affiliate programs — including recommendations against them — when the evidence warrants it.
Free Products & Manufacturer Contact
Occasionally, a manufacturer sends us a product for evaluation. When that happens:
- We disclose it in the specific article, right at the top
- The gift does not obligate us to review the product, or to review it favorably
- Most products we cover are purchased at retail through normal channels
FTC Compliance
This disclosure is provided in accordance with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission's guidance on endorsements and material connections (16 CFR Part 255). We aim to disclose our affiliate relationships clearly and prominently — both on this page and on every individual review that contains affiliate links.
Your Rights as a Reader
- You are never required to use our affiliate links. Direct navigation to any retailer works exactly the same for you.
- The prices you pay are set by the retailer, not by us.
- Warranties, returns, and customer support are handled by the retailer or manufacturer directly.
- If you believe a specific review does not meet our disclosed standards, please contact us at our contact page. Correction requests go directly to an editor.
Questions
If any part of this disclosure is unclear or you'd like more detail on a specific relationship, please reach out via our contact page. We answer disclosure questions from readers, journalists, and researchers within five business days.
Last reviewed: July 2026.